At the forefront of State Street's asset management business – with $3.6 trillion of assets under management – stands Lori Heinel, with a resolute commitment to revolutionize State Street's portfolio of investment strategies, from its tried-and-true index funds and exchange-traded funds to its multi-asset class solutions and alternative investments.
As the global chief investment officer of State Street Global Advisors, over the past year, Heinel guided an investment team of more than 600 professionals scattered across the globe, charting a course of innovation and consistency. Under her purview, two-thirds of GA's active strategies have regularly surpassed their benchmarks. On the index front, an impressive 99.5% of strategies are tracking their indices with meticulous precision.
Her leadership extends to several crucial aspects of the GA business, such as driving the investment, product and operational elements of the organization's environmental, social and governance agenda. Heinel has been an outspoken proponent of responsible investing, embedding these principles into the very fabric of her team's operating principles.
A key member of GA's operating group, Heinel helps chart the strategic course of the firm, steering key projects that bolster the firm's operational efficiency and capacity for expansion. Her eye for growth opportunities has secured her a seat at the table as a member of State Street's executive management group, investment committee and risk committee, while her role as a senior executive sponsor for GA's collaboration with State Street AlphaSM — a comprehensive data analytics platform that lets customers manage their investment portfolio and business lines in one place — underscores her commitment to cutting-edge technology.
Viewing her mandate through a dual lens, Heinel has worked tirelessly to revamp GA's operating model while developing next-generation products that transform the investment process and better anticipate evolving client needs. On the digital transformation front, her team's deployment of a decision support portfolio management tool allowed the staff to better focus on strategic decision-making. In the product and services arena, she oversaw the launch of three ESG SPDR ETFs, seven 7 MSCI Paris-aligned ETFs and an STT sustainable climate world equity fund based on a proprietary sustainable climate model.
Recognizing the transformative power of mentorship and coaching, Heinel actively invests in the professional growth of junior colleagues.
"Fearless girls are made, not born. Especially during a time of such violence across the globe, I am committed to continuing to elevate women as leaders in my industry and beyond —
Heinel is a frequent speaker at conferences where she advocates for women's leadership issues. "Each year, I look forward to International Women's Day and use my platform to raise our voice and do our part to advocate for women. Equity is a long-term and sustainable solution. It is crucial we create change through incremental yet meaningful steps, up and down our organizations," she said. Leading by example, 28% of her portfolio managers are women, a percentage that significantly bests the industry norm of 11%.
Outside of State Street, she holds leadership positions in several industry and community organizations, such as the Investor Leadership Network, the Millstein Center advisory board, the FTSE Russell Policy advisory board and CFA Institute where she is a steering committee member for its diversity and inclusion initiative. She is also a member of the board of trustees for the Boston Ballet and an inaugural member of the Wilshire Index Advisory Group.
